YPD arrests suspect in two student muggings

Yale Police officers have arrested the man they believe is responsible for the robberies of two students last January.

Yale Police Department Lt. Michael Patten said Keith Jones, a 55-year-old New Haven resident, was arrested by the YPD on Feb. 10 after a team of both Yale and New Haven Police officers recognized him from a police sketch.

Shortly after last January’s muggings, Patten said the affected students provided detailed descriptions of their assailant to a forensic artist from the Metropolitan Transit Authority, who was able to draw a detailed sketch of the suspect. Patten said the YPD originally apprehended Jones after J. Crew employees reported a shoplifting, but realized shortly after the arrest that Jones was the man from the forensic sketch.

“This is an example of great police work,” he said. “The police officers were able to recognize [Jones] as the suspect in the sketch immediately.”

Patten said that Jones is believed to be responsible for the Jan. 31 mugging of a Pierson College student in front of the Bank of America and the mugging of another student near the intersection of Dwight and Elm Streets the week before.

Jones has been charged with two counts of robbery in the first-degree, two counts of larceny in the second degree, one count of larceny in the fourth degree and interfering with a police officer.